Profiles in Reliability – James McLinn

Tell us about your education background.
Bachelors in Physics, University of Michigan
Masters in Solid State Physics, University of Minnesota

Tell us about your professional background.
Worked as reliability engineer since 1974 in various industries including consumer, military and biomedical

How have you given back to the reliability profession?
Introduced people to reliability, helped guide careers and taught training classes. Worked on RAMS board 10 years and IEEE-RS board 6 years. Three years as ASQ RD chair. Headed the CRE committee of ASQ for 5 years.

What do you enjoy most about reliability?
Working with people to help solve their reliability problems

What do you do for fun and relaxation?
Retired now – play pickelball, golf and work at an old car club training people

What is reliability in your own words?
A non-statistical definition is meeting and exceeding customers’ needs for reliable products.